


Blessed By The Rain and Moon

by unquestionably_queer



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Also Sokka's an ambassador because why wouldn't he be, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, I ship Zuko with Sokka and being happy, I would genuinely like to believe once Zuko is allowed to open up he acts like a literal child, Kissing in the Rain, M/M, Post-Canon, Sokka's a dork, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko's a dork, but they love each other so that's okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:22:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24851515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unquestionably_queer/pseuds/unquestionably_queer
Summary: The rain and the moon provide Zuko and Sokka with all the protection they need to explore uncharted domain in their budding relationship.Alternatively, Sokka is absolutely whipped and does not know what to do.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 464





	Blessed By The Rain and Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! This is my very first fanfic. I was listening to Hozier when I stumbled upon a poem called the rain, thus this happened. I hope you all enjoyed :)

“Sokka.”

…

…

…

“Sokka!”

Sokka heard his name being called again, and that just proved that he was dreaming, because in no world of his would anyone have attempted to wake him up at such an unholy hour. 

“Mmmmm,” Sokka groaned before pulling the covers further over his head, hoping he could fend off the annoying voice that was calling his name.

“Sok-ka!”

This was the last thing he heard before the covers were ripped off of him entirely. Sokka is now officially upset.

“What?” Sokka hissed as he snapped upright. He looked for the offender through eyes that are still weighed down by sleep. ‘Ah, sleep,’ he thought. ‘Sounds so peaceful. Wouldn’t that be nice right about now?’ Too bad instead of sleeping, he was staring at a certain firebender with an identifiable scar that was staring expectantly back at him.

“What do you want,” Sokka grumbled, his voice still deep and rich from sleep.

“It’s raining.”

He’s kidding. He _has_ to be kidding.

Sokka just stared blankly for a moment, because he knows he didn’t hear that right. Zuko did not just wake him up at the unholy hour of _early_ to give him a weather report. He and Zuko had been together for some time now and had been friends for much longer, so he knows that Zuko knows that sleep was a precious thing not to be interrupted. This just confirmed to Sokka that what was currently taking place is a dream. Y’know, the dreams where you think you wake up, but then you wake up again only to realize the first time you woke you were still dreaming. Ya, that’s definitely it. Maybe if he just closed his eyes, he could fall right back asleep... 

Sokka already feels sleep claiming him again when a pair of warm and gently calloused hands grab him by the shoulders and lightly shake him. Like any reasonable adult, instead of actually opening his eyes to look at the person trying to wake him, he started fake snoring. Ya, that’ll definitely sell it. Just keep snoring Sokka, he’ll go away eventually.

Sokka heard a quiet huff before the hands leave his shoulders to gently cup his face. Sokka waits for a few heartbeats, hoping, praying that this will end soon.

“...Sokka.”

Sokka, after hearing his name called for what was now the fourth time, sighed in resignation and looked his partner in the eye. 

“Zuko, my sweet, _sweet_ , turtleduck,” Sokka began with a faux sweetness, “why am I awake right now?”

Sokka watched Zuko’s energy immediately shift from childish excitement to nervousness and uncertainty. Zuko hesitated, opening his mouth before closing it and then opening it once more.

“I-, well, because it’s raining,” Zuko said as if the statement spoke clearly for itself.

Sokka pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to remain calm. During the course of their friendship and now relationship, Sokka was making an active effort in encouraging Zuko to share his thoughts. Zuko’s formative years were spent yearning for attention and validation only to be met with cruelty and apathy, spare his uncle. Once Zuko joined Aang and his friends, he was showered with a platonic love that he was not used to receiving, nor did he know how to return. It was a collective effort on everyone’s behalf to teach Zuko that their friendship was unconditional, and he was safe. Sokka in particular had made it his personal mission to show Zuko that he was cared for and that he need not keep his love from the world. It was okay to love the world back. Besides, Sokka knew how hard it was to be thrown into the role of a man when you were still only a child. So did Aang, but he was the Avatar, and he could talk to Roku or Kyoshi when he needed guidance. Except apparently, Kyoshi was apparently just as helpful as Toph. According to Aang, they both thought all their problems could be solved with a little bit of blood and knuckles. All these years later, Sokka still wasn’t sure how it all worked. Why couldn’t Aang just talk to the last airbending Avatar? Aren’t they all about peace? That’s not the point. At all. Sokka doesn’t even remember how his brain led him here. The point is that Aang had an established support network, and Zuko didn’t. All that considered, that did not make Sokka any less frustrated at the current situation.

“You… already said that,” Sokka replied with all the patience he could muster within himself.

“I know, but--” Zuko stopped himself, taking a breath to steady his resolve before he continued. “Will you take a walk with me? I really enjoy the rain, and I want to share it. With you. Because I like you. And the rain. Which I already said.”

By the time Zuko finished, all original excitement is gone, and he was almost as red as his scar. 

Tui, La, and all that is holy did Sokka like Zuko. Zuko was lucky this was the case because if anyone else had pulled this, there would be very different consequences. Sokka knew he was no longer at war, but he never kicked the habit of sleeping too far from his boomerang. 

Anyways, Sokka liked Zuko. Just like. No other ‘L’ word.

The ‘L’ word hadn’t come up in conversation between the two of them, though Sokka had spent a lot of time thinking about it. It’s not that he wasn’t sure, because he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he loved, not just liked, the hotheaded dork. Sokka just doesn’t want to scare Zuko away. While Sokka likes to consider himself a courting prodigy, Zuko was still relatively new to the whole relationship concept. Zuko told Sokka that Mai’s way of showing affection was by showing no affection. To each their own, but that wasn’t Sokka’s style. Sokka’s style included being sarcastically flirty and making bad jokes to see Zuko’s smile and hear Zuko’s laugh. It included staying with Zuko in his study into the early hours of the morning as the young Fire Lord strained over tedious paperwork, and it included dragging Zuko out of the palace to a theater or something because “C’mon, what better way to be in touch with the people than to be with the people? Art is cultural!"

Sokka knew that Zuko cared for him, too, even if he didn’t explicitly say so himself. Zuko’s affection was much less outspoken. Sokka knew he cared when he brought in a chef with a specialty in Water Tribe cuisine on his birthday because he knew Sokka was a little homesick and couldn’t be home at the time. Sokka also knew Zuko cared whenever Zuko put aside all that he was doing, no matter how urgent or insignificant, to give Sokka his undivided attention. Sokka knew Zuko cared when Zuko allowed himself to be vulnerable in front of Sokka even when he really, really didn’t want to be but would do it anyway because he wanted Sokka to know he cared and was trying.

So ya, that’s that. Emotions are fragile and scary, and Sokka didn’t want to mess things by telling Zuko he loved him (fine, he’ll admit it). Not that Sokka was scared, pfft, who said that? He just cared too much about Zuko to make a mistake. He wouldn’t allow himself the opportunity.

Sokka was so busy being absolutely head over heels for the man in front of him that he forgot to respond. Instead, he just stared at Zuko like a fool with a tired smile on his face, which, to Zuko’s defense, must have been mildly off-putting as it was a complete change from literally seconds before. 

“Actually, never mind. Go back to sleep. I know sleep is your thing, and I’m sorry for waking you.” Zuko stroked his thumb against Sokka’s cheek and kissed Sokka’s temple before turning to get off the bed.

“No, wait,” Sokka exclaimed, the idea of Zuko’s departure interrupting his trance. 

He grabbed Zuko’s wrist, causing Zuko to startle slightly before turning to bring his brown eyes to meet Sokka’s blue. Sokka immediately mentally kicks himself for doing so, as Zuko had recently opened up about that. Here Sokka was, already making another mistake. Though Zuko was mostly over it, he didn’t like being grabbed by his left side, his bad side, on account of the fact that his eye was pretty severely damaged as a result of the burn, and he couldn’t really see all that well out of it. People often used this to their disadvantage. This was one of the first things Zuko had shared with Sokka in his reasonably new moments of vulnerability, and Sokka was grateful for it.

See, this is why Sokka couldn’t just come out and say ‘I love you,’ or ‘You fuel me the way the sun fuels your bending.’ It was complicated, and he had more than enough proof that he would probably be an idiot about it.

“Sorry,” Sokka said sheepishly. “Sorry, I know. I forgot. Anyways, ya, I’ll go for a walk with you. Just let me put a shirt on. Unless you’d prefer I go like this.” Sokka flexed his muscles before winking at Zuko. 

Zuko snorted with laughter while smiling a smile that meets his eyes, and oh, ya, Sokka was definitely wrapped around Zuko’s pale, long, fire wielding finger. Zuko shook his head and muttered something that doesn’t quite reach Sokka’s ear.

“Get dressed. You won’t be saying that ten minutes from now when you’re outside in the pouring rain.”

The ache in Sokka’s chest was definitely love. No if, and’s, or but’s about that.

…

The two stood in the threshold, mist lightly washing their faces as they watched the rain fall in buckets from the sky. It was summer in the fire nation, making the air heavy and warm, but didn’t stop Sokka from shivering at the very idea of what was about to occur. 

“How did I let you talk me into this?” Sokka loudly complained, sticking his arm out from under their cover as if to test the fact that it was actually raining. It was. 

Sokka looked over to see Zuko staring out into the rain as if someone was standing in the distant shadows calling out to him personally. Zuko turned with a smile that Sokka keeps seeing more and more of these days, and never mind, Sokka remembers precisely how he got talked into this. Zuko shrugged his shoulders and hummed what Sokka assumed to mean ‘I don’t know’ before Zuko quickly grabbed him by the arm and took a bold step forward into the rain. Sokka doesn’t even have the chance to think twice, not like Sokka would every deny him the pleasure.

…

Sokka may be from the Southern Water Tribe, but that does not mean he enjoys being soaked to the bone while going on a walk. If he wanted to be this wet, he would just go swimming. However, he was unfortunately plagued with feelings for a stupid, tall, lean, attractive, dorky, childish, kind, genuine, loyal, not-even-stupid-but-actually-really-intelligent firebender, so he allowed it. Between being banished at 13 and becoming the youngest Fire Lord ever, save Azula’s few minutes of fame, Zuko didn’t really have what most would view as a traditional childhood. Thus, Sokka wanted Zuko to have fun and embrace his inner child wherever possible. Sokka wasn’t just the plan guy, he was also the fun guy. Not to pat himself on the shoulder, but he could kind of do it all. A jack of all trades, if you will. Sokka would.

Additionally, Sokka spent a lot of his time not with Zuko. Being an ambassador for the Fire Nation on behalf of his home, the job required lots of travel, and thus, lots of time spent not in the Fire Nation. Sokka truly loved his job, and he wouldn’t trade it for the world. He was able to visit home, visit new places, and learn more about the ever-evolving world. He even got to see his friends on a semi-regular basis. All that to say, his time with Zuko was limited. Even when he was with Zuko, more time was spent working than not. Sokka cherished moments like these, as they would be memories in the future.

They had been wandering around in comfortable silence before Sokka realized that it was only he that was wandering, as Zuko was no longer walking beside him. Sokka turned around only to see that Zuko isn’t walking, but instead, he is lying on the ground in the mud and _holy spirits, he is lying on the ground in the mud the guards are going to kill him._

Sokka walks back over to stand directly over Zuko, shielding him from nature and dimming the already dim moonlight. 

“Why are you lying on the ground in the mud?”

“Join me,” was Zuko’s response.

“No! I signed up for a walk, not a mud bath! That doesn’t even answer my question,” Sokka wailed indignantly before crossing his arms across his chest, not that Zuko could see because his eyes were closed.

In response to this, Zuko opened his good eye to look at Sokka patiently and expectantly, causing Sokka’s heart to leap to his throat and drop to his stomach all in the same instant. 

“You’re crazy. You’re starting to turn into Iroh,” Sokka vocalized as he lowers himself to the ground.

Sokka settled himself before peaking at Zuko out of the corner of his eye. Zuko had his face to the sky, pure calm having taken over his expressions. It looked as if he was begging, no praying, for the rain to cleanse him of all sins. The rain, ever obedient, pounded against his pale skin; Sokka watched water droplets dance against his skin, making their way down his face before collecting at his jaw and returning to the earth. It looked like magic, and for the first time in years, he found himself envious of his sister. He wished he could be so in tune with such a beautiful element. He closes his eyes, hoping to find the same peace that Zuko has already discovered.

“So,” Sokka draws out, after what feels like an eternity of peace searching, “what’s it with you and rain? A water-loving firebender? That is kind of funny, even you have to admit.” Sokka asked, hoping his lighthearted jab masked his genuine curiosity. He didn’t want to push a boundary or something.

“It keeps me grounded, I guess. When I was still on my father’s quest, one night after fighting with Uncle, I went out in a thunderstorm. It reminded me that I’m human and that I’m alive. We all are.”

Huh. Even after all these years, Zuko wasn’t one to talk much, but when he had something to say, he really made an impact. Sokka loved listening to Zuko. His voice had grown deeper since when they were younger, but it was still textured. It sounded like velvet. When he explained this to the baby turtleducks weeks prior, they quaked in eager agreement. He knew they’d get it; He’d had the same talk with the fish days prior, but they just stared at him. Anyway, it was not only had Zuko’s voice changed but his words. He sounded wiser. He really _was_ starting to sound more like Iroh. Sokka can’t help but appreciate Zuko’s transformation. He’s gone from a war-torn child to a leader. An insecure teen to a confident adult. A brooding person filled with bitterness and hate to a person that strived to seek joy and pleasure where it could be found. Sokka watched Zuko come to life before his own eyes.

“Oh,” was Sokka’s incredibly witty and heartfelt reply.

Zuko hummed before adjusting his weight onto his elbows and continuing once more, “I wanted to share this experience with you. You’ve helped remind me that I’m human and alive in a way that rain never could. There’s something…. raw about subjecting yourself to the will of the elements, especially those out of your control, but there’s something so much greater in sharing this feeling of sentience with another living, breathing person.”

“Oh.”

After years of Zuko unsuccessfully hunting him down and trying to literally murder him and his friends, this was going to be what killed him. Sokka feels his stomach doing flips and his heart threatening to break its way out of his body, and his mind was going in multiple different directions. Sokka was still searching for a proper response when Zuko started talking again. 

“Look at me?”

Sokka sat up and used a hand to shield his face because it was still pouring, and water was getting in his eyes. He could barely see the man in front of him. Zuko lightly placed his hand on the one that Sokka still had on the ground before pressing forward.

“I know I’m not the best with words, but I want to thank you. For all that you are and continue to be. Thank you for always supporting and encouraging me. It means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me.”

Okay, Sokka was definitely not starting to cry. This was just rain that had gotten in his eyes and started leaking onto his face. No tears here, no sir. 

Sokka gathered his wits about him so he could give a more eloquent response rather than his previous ‘Oh’s.’

“Zuko, of _course_ , I encourage you. This is what you deserve for yourself. I just want you to see you the way I see you. You’ve grown so much during these past few years. You’re a kind person with a kind heart and an ever-evolving sense of self. You try to do right by so many people, but you forget about yourself sometimes. Your selflessness is what I like about you. That and so many other things, mostly your smoking hot bod though, pun intended (Zuko rolls his eyes). But seriously, I care about you, and I won’t give you a chance you forget it.”

Sokka stared at Zuko, and Zuko stared right back for what felt like a long time. Not like Zuko needed to say anything, but Zuko made no indication that Sokka had said anything at all, and Sokka was kind of hoping for a response. It didn’t compare to Zuko, but he had made some good points. It was poetic and everything.

“I mean--”

“I love you.”

.

.

.

Okay, maybe that wasn’t the exact response Sokka was expecting.

“Huh?” Ah yes, good job, Sokka. A much better alternative to ‘Oh.”

Zuko sat up to fully look at Sokka before repeating his previous statement as though he were stating common knowledge.

“I said, I love you. I love you for all the things I just said and more. “

Okay, Sokka was lying before, because he is definitely full-on crying now. Twelve hours earlier, he had no inclination that he would be awoken in the middle of the night just to lay in a huge puddle and have Zuko confess his love, but hey, life works like that sometimes. Despite the rain, it became clear that Sokka was crying when Zuko heard a sniffle and saw his shoulders begin to physically shake.

“Sokka?” Zuko asked unsurely. “I’m sorry, did I do something wrong? I-”

“No!” Sokka interrupted. “No! I just wasn’t expecting-”

Sokka laughed a wet laugh, and Zuko was rightfully confused because he just confessed his love for Sokka, and Sokka was laughing. Zuko wasn’t well versed in these things, but he was pretty sure this wasn’t the typical response.

“I love you too, Zuko.”

“Oh.’ It was Zuko’s turn to get in on the ‘Oh,’ now.

Zuko smiled a smile of relief and genuine happiness when Sokka hugged them with enough force that brought them both down to the ground. Sokka held Zuko like his life depends on it, and the rain continues to fall in blankets on his back. He felt surreal. He felt absolutely sensational. At this moment, he could totally see the appeal of the rain.

“Um,” Zuko began.

“Um?

“I want to kiss you right now, so I’m going to do that, if that’s okay with you.”

Sokka smiled and wiped Zuko’s wet bangs out of his eyes before nodding over-enthusiastically. 

“I would like that very much.”

So Zuko kissed Sokka, and Sokka kissed him back. The kiss was cold and wet, yet Sokka felt like he was on fire. Zuko’s lips were soft and warm, a perfect half to his own. Zuko tasted like spice, smoke, and _Zuko_ , and Sokka knew he was where he wanted to be. The kiss was gentle but certain, wanting but tender. It spoke for all the moments that built up to this. The silent tension, the intense stares, the wanting touches. It was a sweet release. With Sokka’s hand’s in Zuko’s hair, and Zuko’s arms wrapped around Sokka’s waste, Sokka doesn’t know what he was so scared in the first place.

They pulled back from each other to look fondly at each other. To the outside viewer, they both look absolutely ridiculous: two grown men laying in the middle of the courtyard in the pouring rain, beaming at each other without a single care in the world. Fortunately, it was just the two of them in that moment.

“Thank you for being vulnerable with me. You always keep me on my toes,” Sokka said as he ruffles the hair he just fixed. Despite Zuko’s hair covering most of his face, Sokka knows that Zuko’s smiling with his eyes. His favorite kind of smile.

So they sat there holding each other, rain having cleansed them both of all fears and concerns. The moon remained hidden behind the clouds, allowing the two men to revel in the private intimacy that seems to only exist in the space being shared between them. Sokka thanked Yue for it.

“We can go back inside now. I will feel equally as human and alive there too, now.”

Sokka laughed and shook his head before kissing the top of Zuko’s head.

“Thank Agni! I wasn’t going to say anything, but I was protecting you from the worst of it. I’m soaked.” Sokka wrung his sleeve out above Zuko’s head to prove his point. “I’m cold and soggy. Not a good combo.”

“Sorry,” Zuko said sheepishly as he rose to his feet, bringing Sokka with him. “I forgot. Firebending and all.”

...

After returning to their quarters and drying off, which entailed many jokes cracked and poses struck by Sokka and eyes rolled by Zuko, they climbed back into bed, where their bodies immediately found one another. Zuko was absentmindedly playing with Sokka’s still damp hair as Sokka slowly began drifting off to sleep.

“Hey, Sokka?”

“Mhmm?” Sokka allowed himself to be willingly awoken this time, no complaints.

“Thanks. Again. For everything. Tonight or otherwise.”

“Of course,” Sokka assured as he opens his eyes. “Wanna know why?”

“No,” Zuko said flatly.

Sokka immediately grabbed the nearest pillow and goes to whack Zuko in the face, but not before Zuko blocks the pillow’s momentum with his own arm.

“You’re lucky I love you, stupid jerkbender,” Sokka said before softly placing a kiss on Zuko’s lips, pillow still raised above his head.

“And I love you, Sokka,” Zuko sighed after they both pull away.

With that, they put the pillow and themselves to rest, returning to each other as the rain hummed its rhythmic lullaby. They sleep peacefully, knowing that the rain and the moon have given their unconditional approval.


End file.
